Flash-photography apparatus



March 1942- K. J. GERMESHAUSEN FLASHPHOTOGRAPHY APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1941 Meg tor gt Iz i'amzedzausm Kama Ca/mm CIRCUIT Patented Mar. 31, 1942 Kenneth Joseph Germeshausen, Masa, assignor to Herbert E.

} Center, Mass.

Cambridge, Grier, Newton Application May 13, 1941, Serial No. 393,235

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to electric systems and apparatus, and more particularly to systems and apparatus designed for flash photography.

tinuous very much weaker light-source that need not be extinguished during the exposure flash. Experience shows that, despite the brilliancy oi the flash, it is not disturbing to the person to be photographed because of the shortness of its duration.

As further described in the said application, the novel dual lamp is provided with a common reflector so positioned relative to the flash-lamp and the light-source that the fields of illumination reflected therefrom upon the object to be photographed have approximately the same center. The high-voltage apparatus, as well as the light-source, moreover, are enclosed in an out side tube or bulb for protecting the operator In such systems, a gaseous-discharge flash- 5 from. the high voltage. lamp is ordinarily employed to produce the ex- An object of the present invention is to imposure fiash for illuminating the object to be prove upon the dual lamp disclosed in the said photographed. The photographer trips the flash-= Grier application, with the ends in view of prolamp to produce the exposure flash at a time vidlng a more efiective and intense source of when satisfied, through observation, that the obiii flashing light. ject to be photographed will yield the best re- Other and further objects will be described suits on the photographic plate or film. This hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out observation the photographer makes with the in the appended claims of an incandescent lamp or other light-source With these ends in View, a feature of the inprior to tripping the flash-lamp. i vention resides in employing a helical flash-lamp The location of the incandescent lamp or other with the light-source so positioned in the helix light-source has heretofore been more or less that the fields of illumination of the flash-lamp haphazard. It has been rather common, for and the light-source shall have approximately example, to position the incandescent lamp in the same center. one part of the room and the flash-lamp in an- W The invention will now be described more fully other, these lamps thus directing their rays upon in connection with the accompanying drawing, the object to be photographed from diiierent in which Fig. l is a longitudinal section of a dual directions. Under such circumstances, of course. lamp embodying the present invention, taken the object will appear on the photographic film upon the line l--i of Fig. 2, looking in the direcor plate under difierent lightconditions from 2 tion of the arrows; Fig. 2 is a similar section, those under which the photographer viewed it taken approximately upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the aid of the incandescent lamp prior to looking in the direction of the arrows, but showthe exposure flash. It frequently results, thereing the helical-coil flash-lamp in elevation; Fig. fore, that the shades and shadows on the 3 is a horizontal section, taken upon the line photograph are not what the photographer ex- 30 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the pected. arrows; Fig. 4 is an underside plan; and Fig. 5 in a copending application, Serial No. 253,760, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a practical filed January 31, 1939, by Herbert E. Grier, the applicationof the invention. light-source and the flash-lamp are described As described in the said application, an as so positioned that their fields of illumination elongated light-permeable glass-bulb jacket or shall have approximately the same center. The envelope 92 may be provided, cemented at 24 to a lighhsource and the flash-lamp are combined in flat insulating base 94 provided with five pin a single unit toconstitute what may be termed a terminals 6, l0, i2, i4 and I8 projecting exnovel dual lamp. With the air of this dual lamp, teriorly thereof. The envelope 92 may be either the pre-view lighting and the photographing 40 clear or frosted; in the latter case, it will yield a take place under almost identical conditions. better distribution of the light when used with ihe flash-lamp of the said dual lamp produces conventional reflectors, such as the reflector a very brilliant flash for a very brief period of shown in Fig. 5. In the envelope 92, a continuous time. This renders it possible to employ a con- 4: modeling or'guide-lamp light source, such as an 0 incandescent lamp I6, is mounted within a helicallycoiled-tube flash-lamp 18, that may contain krypton or any other suitable gas. The helix is thus positioned around the incandescent lamp IS. The axis of the helical coil of the lamp l8 substantially coincides with, or is parallel to. the axis of the bulb 92. The flash-lamp i8 is provided with two terminals, constituted of a cathode l and an anode 9, connected, respectively, to the terminals 6 and I2. The parts are held permanently steady in correct position, and

23 that are respectively minals 1'0 and it). Two

pose of focussing the reflector (shown lamp I8 is isolated by means of properly lined up, in the bulb 92, by means of suitable metal spreaders 20. One end of a high triggsr or trip wire electrode H is connected to the terminal 14, and its other end is soldered or otherwise joined to one or both ends of a metal ribbon or band support 19 that is mounted over a plurality of the coils or turns of the helicai-tube flash-lamp l8.

The lamp i5 is provided with terminals 2! and connected to the ter-= of the pin terminals it, l0, 12, it and T8 are thus connected to the ter-- minals 2i and 23 of the lamp it, two to the cathode and the anode terminals l and d of the flash-lamp it, and one to the trip wire it.

The seal between the envelope 02 and the base 84 may be rendered gas-tight, in which event the incandescent lamp it may be replaced by an incandescent filament, and the whole envelope 82 could be evacuated.

The incandescent modelling or guide lamp it provides a continuous illumination for the purin 5) upon an'obiect or person 13, while pointing the right direction; and then, with in this manner, as desired, a photograph of the object may be taken by a camera 35, with the aid oi the flash-lamp !8. As the reflector has already been previously pointed, and the camera 35 has previously been i'ocussed by means of the incandescent lamp I8, the light of the flash-lamp I8 will be certain to cover the area 13 that the camera has been focussed upon.

Because of the above-described relative locations 01' the light-source l6 and the flash-lamp l8 relative to the common reflector, with the axis of the reflector substantially coincident with,

or parallel to, the substantially common axis of the lamps l8 and I 8, the reflector thus produces reflected fields of illuminationfrom the flashlamp l8 and the light-source I 6 that have approximately the same center. The illumination of the light-source l6 and of the flash-lamp l8 comes from exactLv the same direction, and the same shades and shadows produced in the one in the envelope 92.

Photographers rely upon the positioning of the lights to produce certain lighting effects. Withmodelling or guide lamp, the photographer can not study the lighting, and hence can not produce pictures that are lighted to the last tion 01' the flash-lamp l8, enables the rapher to place the lamps at a position that gives him the desired modelling and allows him to study the lighting at his leisure.

As explained in the said application, because the high voltage oi the gaseous-discharge flashthe glass Jacket radiated uniformly in all iii lamp ill harmless, no harm can come to either the operator or the object It, and by operating the flash-lamp it during the illumination 01' the incandescent lamp H5, thiifititl'tllllfi may be rendered barely perceptible, without eye discomfort. No harm. is produced by havii'ig the two lamps it and ill on together dining brief interval of the because oi the "rem in; greater light produced by :Et' pared with the light of the incu it is thus no ible to carry out 1;. W photograph, with as little finch eii'z'ec upon. the eyes oi the person it b graphed. its further explained in t cation, from the incsn helps to overcome the inertia m I by increasing eiilective speed oi fiaslnlamp i This, in effect, pie illm to increase the sensitivity,

The bulb containing the flash-damp and the incandescent lamp it may, however, so positioned as to eliminate the necessity for emplcying the reflector; and the camera furthermore, if desired, be focussed with the aid of auxiliary apparatus.

The apparatus may be used in conjunction with a control circuit ll, which may be or the nature more fully disclosed in the said application. The flash-lamp i8 may be connected, as there described, through the medium or the terminal pins 12 and 8, across a condenser (not shown herein), that may be subjected to a voltage of, say, 2000 volts from any direct-current supply (not One side of the condenser (not shown) circuit by a or envelope 9!, however, so as to render the flashof tube l8. This causes the gas in the tube II to ionize, permitting the above-mentioned condenser (not shown) to discharge through the itself. Apparatus of this character is particularly useful in determining what part of the subject to be photographed is being illuminated; and also for iocussing, once the desired distribution of light has-been obtained. Further, if the contactor 15 is constructed in the camera shutter, and synchronized therewith, it is possible to expose the fllm for a brief interval to the incandescent light before the flash-lamp is flred. This exposure to the continuous light prefogs the film, thereby raising the sensitivityof the film to the subsequent flash. "Modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art and all such are considered to fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliantflash for a very brief period, and a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp so that the fields of illumination of the flash-lamp and the light-source shall have approximately the same center.

2. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, and a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp, the helix of the flash-lamp and the light-source having substantially a common axis.

3. Apparatus for use in photography having,

in combination, a helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp, and a common reflector for the lightsource and the flash-lamp, the light-source and the flash-lamp being positioned relative to the reflector so that the reflected fields of illumination shall have approximately the same center.

4. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp, and a common reflector for the lightsource and the flash lamp, the reflector having an axis, the helix of the flash-lamp and the lightsource having substantially a common axis substantially coincident with, or parallel to, the reflector axis.

5. Apparatusior use combination, -a helical in photography having, in flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a. very brief period, a light-source positioned in the helix of the flashlamp, and a light-permeable envelope in which the light-source and the flash-lamp are contained; the light-source and the flash-lamp being disposed in the envelope so that their flelds of illumination shall have approximately the same center.

6. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a high-voltage helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp, and a light-permeable portective envelope in which the light-source and the flash-lamp are contained to protect the operator from the high voltage of the flash-lamp without preventing the light of the flash from penetrating the envelope,.the light-source and the flash-lamp being disposed in the envelope so that their flelds of illumination shall have approximately the same center.

7. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a high-voltage helical flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, a light-source positioned in the helix of the flash-lamp, a high-voltage trigger wire for the flash-lamp, and a light-permeable protective envelope in which the light-source, the flashlamp and the trigger wire are contained to protect the operator from the high-voltage of the flash-lamp and the trigger wire without preventing the light of the flash from penetrating the envelope, the light-source and the flash-lamp being disposed in the envelope so that their fields of illumination shall have approximately the same center.

8. Apparatus for use in photography having, in combination, a light-source, a flash-lamp for producing a very brilliant flash for a very brief period, and an evacuated light-permeable envelope in which the light-source and the flashlamp are contained, the light-source and the flash-lamp being disposed in the envelope so that their flelds of illumination shall have approximately the same center.

KENNETH J. GERMESHAUSEN. 

